The Ministry of Health is working with counties to establish regional centres for mental health services.
This is part of the efforts by the government to address the ever-rising burden of mental health in the country.
On Wednesday, health CS Susan Nakhumicha met with the leadership Mathari Teaching and Referral Hospital led by Board Chairperson Dr Lukoye Atwoli and CEO Dr Julius Ogato.
Key on the agenda was access to mental health services for all Kenyans.
“As a ministry, we are committed to ensuring easy access to specialist mental health services for Kenyans,” the CS said.
“Mental Health and well-being is a big part of our health agenda and it is enshrined in the UN SDG 3 that seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well‐being for all at all ages,” she added.
In June last year, former President Uhuru Kenyatta assented to the Mental Health Bill that seeks to among others protect the rights of Kenyans will mental disorders.
The law also allows the chiefs and their assistant to take into custody any person suffering from a mental disorder within the limits of his jurisdiction whom he believes is dangerous to himself or to others, or who, because of the mental disorder acts or is likely to act in a manner offensive to public decency.
In July 2020, the National Taskforce on Mental Health led by Dr Frank Njenga recommended that mental health be declared a national disaster in the country.
The taskforce noted that mental health issues were deep-rooted, and it was high it was given the attention it deserves.
The country has witnessed an exponential rise in the number of mental disorders in recent years with statistics indicating that approximately 20 to 25 per cent of outpatients seeking primary healthcare present symptoms of mental illness.
